l i c y r e v iew p o n g i e r o o r · of International Relations, Hon Ms lindiwe Sisulu, Mp, who outlined to the panel her broad expectations. It should be stated at the outset

MINISTRYINTeRNaTIoNal RelaTIoNS aNd coopeRaTIoN

RepUBlIc oF SoUTH aFRIca

Media briefing on theMinisterial Panel Report

Presented by Mr Aziz PAhAd ChAirPerson of the review PAnel

17 APril 2019

For

eig

n p

olicy review

reporT

Foreign Policy review: a strategic reflection and critical appraisal of the orientation and implementation of South Africa’s

foreign policy

A better South AfricA, A better AfricA And A better world

Deputy MinisterMr Luwellyn Landers

MinisterMs Lindiwe Sisulu

Deputy MinisterMs Reginah Mhaule

A better South Africa, a better Africa and

a better world

MINISTRYINTeRNaTIoNal RelaTIoNS aNd coopeRaTIoN

RepUBlIc oF SoUTH aFRIca

MeDia briefing on the Ministerial panel report 17 APril 2019

1A better South AfricA, A better AfricA And A better world

Ladies and Gentlemen of the media this is a summery of the work of the Review Panel which was introduced to the National Assembly by HON Minister Lindiwe Sisulu during the Budget Vote Speech on 15 May 2018. The Review Panel engaged a number of stakeholders and completed its work at the end of March 2019. In this summery of the report I deliberately left out a number of areas, especially the recommendations because they have an impact on other departments as well as all of DIRcO. Discussions and engagements are on-going and the Minister will decide on the way forward.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE REVIEW PANEL

1. The Ministerial Review panel was established by the Minister of International Relations and cooperation, Ms. lindiwe Sisulu, Mp, and introduced to the House of assembly on the occasion of the Budget Vote of the same Ministry on the 15th May 2018 in parliament.

2. composition of the Ministerial Review panel: • Chairperson–MrAzizPahad • DeputyChair–DrAyandaNtsaluba • AmbassadorLindiweMabuza • AmbassadorWelileNhlapo • AmbassadorYvetteMaviviMyakayaka-Manzini • AmbassadorGladysSontoKudjoe • AmbassadorSisaNgombane • DrKhuluMbatha • MrSiphoPityana • MrEnochGodongwana • MrXhantiPayi

3 Support Staff: • AmbassadorMathuJoyini–RepresentingtheDG’sForum • MrPercyKumsha–RepresentingtheDG’sForum • MrTitusMafolo–Secretariat • MrThamiKaPlaatjie–Secretariat • MsBoitumeloSithole–AssistantDirector:DTRD • MsIzelleFourie–AssistanttotheSecretariat • MsSylviaNdlovu–SecondedfromtheMinister’sOffice

rAtionAle for the eStAbliShMent of the reView PAnel include:

a. part of the rationale for establishment of the panel was the need to respond tochangingdomestic,regional,continentalandglobalpoliticsandsocio-economic issues, challenges and demands. This must be done by enhancing SouthAfrica’scapacityatalllevelsofgovernment,butespeciallyatthedepartment of International Relations and cooperation (dIRco). Many of these local and international issues have a direct impact on the lives of South africans.

b. ThetaskofthePanelwastoassessstrengthsandweaknessesofSouthAfrica’scurrentforeignpolicytrajectory,andadvise,asappropriate,on



interventionsnecessaryforustomakeacontributiontowardsaworldthatishumane,justandequitableforallthepeople.ThisisdonewhilstsimultaneouslypursuingSouthAfrica’snationalpriorities,advancingtheafrican agenda and contributing to the maintenance of global peace and security.

c. This had to be done as part of the efforts to help South africa lift itself out of poverty,unemploymentandinequality.Atthesametime,thishadtohelpthecountry in strengthening its stature of being a critical player, on issues such ashumanrights,development,conflictresolution,nucleardisarmament,climate change and championing the agenda for the countries of the South.

d. To achieve all these and more, South africa must reposition itself as a consistent moral compass and a principled voice of reason in a changing worldthatisincreasinglycharacterizedbyselfishandnarrowinterests.TheworkofDIRCOandallitsemployees,atalllevels,istoensurethatSouthafrica is part of the regional, continental and global motive forces for positive change. The main thrust will be to help transform the country to meet its national priorities, while simultaneously building a better africa and the world.

e. SouthAfrica’sforeignpolicyispredicatedontheConstitutionwhichhas always been a guiding torch to transform the country and achieve sustainable growth of the economy that must help bring a better life to all. The constitution is a critical roadmap for the country to deal with the legaciesofapartheid.Thus,thecounty’sforeignpolicybecomesanimportantpart of measures that must help maintain the stability, security as well as strengthening the constitutional order and institutions. It must guarantee the peaceful, stable, prosperous and integrated Southern africa, africa and the world.

f. ItwasnotedthatthecontextwithinwhichthePanelworkedwasgivenrisebyspecificmilestones,especiallythetransitioninFebruary2018whichledtothe election of president Ramaphosa by the National assembly.

g. ThismarkedthebeginningofsomereflectiondescribedbythePresidentasa moment of renewal. In part, this helped to ensure a refocus, in some areas, particularly statecraft and governance as well as policy recalibration.



INTRODUCTION

1. The panel wishes to place on record its profound gratitude to the Hon Min LindiweSisulufortheconfidenceshedemonstratedinitsmembers.Thishas afforded panel members the opportunity to be of strategic service to thecountryatthisimportantjunctureaswegrapplewiththechallengesofnational renewal in a context of a very complex and unpredictable global environment.

2. a successful Sa foreign policy is one that is deeply rooted in our constitution andnationalpriorities.Itrequiresacriticalanalyticalunderstandingoftherole and place of our country in regional and global affairs, global trends andattendantbalanceofforces.Italsorequireseffectiveimplementationmachineryunderpinnedbysupportiveorganizationalstructures,slickprocesses and appropriate behaviours and culture.

3. Inthecourseofitswork,thePanelhadthebenefitofexchangeswithrepresentatives of countries which have recently undergone similar reviews. Eventhougheachreviewhaditsuniquefeaturesanditsownrationale,what is clear is that there are common themes. These include leveraging technologytoimprovebothefficiencyandeffectiveness.Thisisparticularlybecause of the opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the need to ensure continued relevance of foreign ministries and national coherence in an era where many national actors are involved in foreign policy. It also includes coordination between missions abroad and the Head Officeaswellasbuildingcapacityinemergingareasofforeignpolicy.Allthese are relevant for South africa.

4. TheworkofthePanelcouldnotbeisolatedfromotherimportantdaytoday strategic challenges to which the Ministry and dIRco had to attend. Hence, the panel had to provide ongoing advice and support to such critical initiativesasthehostingoftheBRICSsummitinJuly2018,thecountry’sChairshipofSADCaswellasthelobbyingandpreparationforSouthAfrica’sassumptionofitsseatasanon-permanentmemberoftheUNSC,tonamebut a few.

5. Both out of its own deliberations and in engagements with different stakeholdersandparties,thePanelhassoughtatalltimes,toensuresomecandid,frankandcriticalappraisalandinterrogationofthecurrentandpastpolicy positions. These include analyses of actions and positions that have been adopted at various times with regard to regional, continental, global and multilateral issues.

6. ThePanelhighlyappreciatesthemanyinputsfromDIRCO’sseniormanagement,NGO’s,academicsandcounterpartsfromothercountrieswhohave undergone their own Reviews.

7. The panel is indebted to the invaluable support it received from dIRco staff, at all levels, and the insightful contributions that dIRco senior management gave to the panel. This includes support it received when engaging



numerousstakeholdersandthepracticalassistancetobothindividualandcollective members of the panel.

8. dIRco gave invaluable support on travel arrangements, secretarial support as well as engagements on UN, africa, BRIcS, bilateral and multilateral issues.ThesehelpedtoinformandenrichtheworkofthePanel.

9. Duringthecourseofitswork,thePanelbecamesensitizedtoabroadacknowledgementthatintherecentpast,SouthAfricahasnotlivedtoitsearlierpromise.Thatthecountryhasnotsufficientlyplayedtheroleit was expected to play, or should have played in engaging a number of international issues. There is a general observation that there have been missteps which have reversed earlier gains that the country registered. as a result, strategic opportunities were missed resulting in decline of South Africa’sinfluenceregionally,continentallyandglobally.

10. This sentiment is also captured in the budget speech delivered by Hon Minister lindiwe Sisulu on 15 May 2018 where she said.

“We once were a giant in the world and our reputation was well known, because of what we represented. The world was richer for having given us support and for us having given them the miracle of 1994. In Mandela’s memory, in his honour we have a responsibility to regain that stature that he left for us. That stature that allowed us to punch above our weight and succeed. We’ll regain that stature and put all out efforts in making sure that we make the world a better place for all’.

11. ThereisaconnectionbetweenthedeclineofSouthAfrica’sexternalinfluenceandthenegativetendenciesthathavebedevilledournationalpolitics. at times, we became so internally focused to the extent of losing sight of the bigger picture that had inspired the democratic transformation. Needlesstosay,SouthAfrica’sexternalfortuneswouldalwayshingeontheextent to which the country advance its national renewal process.

12. TherearesomeinstitutionspecificchallengesatDIRCOthathavecontributedtoSouthAfrica’sdecline.Thisincludesthetendency,withinDIRCOtoworkinsilos.

13. Atthesametime,SouthAfricandiplomatshadtoworkinanever-changingdynamic regional, continental and global environment.



METHODOLOGY

1. The panel had a series of meetings to understand its brief and where it decidedonhowtoconductitswork.ThisincludedameetingwiththeMinisterof International Relations, Hon Ms lindiwe Sisulu, Mp, who outlined to the panel her broad expectations. It should be stated at the outset that given how policy evolves in our system of government, it could not be the brief of thePaneltomakeacompleteoverhaulofourforeignpolicywithaviewtoreplacingitwithsomethingnew.Butrather,toreflectandassessitsstrengthsandweaknesses,particularlyinexecution,aswellasidentifyinggapsinthecontext of emerging regional, continental and global trends.

2. The panel invited inputs from and engaged the senior management structure ofthedepartment,viztheDirectorGeneral’sForum(DGF),aswellasthedifferentbranchesofthedepartment.Throughoutitswork,thePanelattachedalotofimportancetothestrategicreflectionsandassessmentofthe current practitioners at dIRco. This included being appraised on some workbeingundertakenundertheauspicesoftheDGFonOrganisationalRenewal, Functional organisational Structure alignment and the organisational Improvement plan.

3. ThisPanelReporthastakenintoaccounton-goingdevelopments,includingat the UN, aU and Sadc. In particular, recent regular aU meetings and the SADCsolidarityconferenceonWesternSahara,heldinSouthAfricahadabearing on some of the observations and recommendations of the panel.

4. ThePanelconducteditsworkwiththeunderstandingthatthereisalotofgoodworkwithinDIRCOandthusthereisaneedtoacknowledgethemany areas of progress that the country has made in foreign relations since 1994.

5. The panel further recognises and appreciates the wealth of experience, expertise and talent within dIRco and the need, always to utilise and harness this rich body of human resource appropriately and to the fullest.

6. The panel also hosted on the 4 to 5 october 2018, at the o.R Tambo building inPretoria,asuccessfultwo-dayForeignpolicyreviewworkshopthatattracted around 200 participants engaged in foreign policy. This included NGOs,ResearchInstitutions,Think-Tanks,Experts,Academics,pastandcurrentDiplomats.Thisprovidedaplatformforsomestrategicreflectiononour foreign policy from an outside dIRco perspective.

7. This was followed by more engagements with some of these participants to

further explore their areas of focus. The panel is greatly indebted to all these fortheircandourandreadinesstobeofassistanceinitswork.

8. FlowinglargelyfromtheintroductionoftheworkofthePaneltothediplomatic community accredited to South africa, the panel also received offers to share insights from some of the countries which had recently undergone similar reviews.



9. The panel engaged with senior government representatives from canada, Germany,Ireland,NorwayandSweden.Thesewerelargelyindividualsfromtheir capitals who had participated in their own country foreign policy reviews and who visited the panel to exchange views.

10. ThePanelgreatlyappreciatesthissupportandbenefittedsignificantlyfromtheopenexchangesofexperiencesandviews.Akeyinsightfromtheseexchanges is how, in spite of the differences in the rationale for each review, the review process was also leveraged as an opportunity to engage the broader public beyond foreign policy elites. This is a step the panel had wished for, but could not carry out and would suggest that dIRco pays some attention to beyond the life of the panel.



Some Salient Observations of the Panel1 Globalizationhasbroughtsomebenefitsthatincludefastertransmission

of technology and innovation. Indeed, there is easier sharing of ideas, skillsandtechnologiesacrossborders.Globalizationalsohasthepotentialto accelerate regional, continental and global economic integration and development.

2. However,theprocessofglobalizationhasstillnotbenefitedalargenumberofdevelopingcountries,buthasinsteadexacerbatedthemarginalizationofpoor countries, with many having become poorer in recent years.

3. There is a growing sense that only a few are reaping the promised dividends ofglobalization.Notonlyhasthegulfbetweendevelopedanddevelopingcountries widened, but the wealth of rich elites and the rest of society within manycountrieskeepsgrowing.

4. at the same time, humanity is confronted by a number of political, security and economic realities that have created unprecedented uncertainties and a dangerous world order.

5. among some of the political uncertainties is that there has emerged a serious trustdeficitofpoliticians,politicsandpoliticalinstitutions.Thisismanifested,amongothersbyadriftintoinsularpolitics,suchasBREXIT,theriseofright-wingpopulistmovements,religiousfundamentalismandXenophobictendencies.

6. IntheWest,thereisagrowthofnationalistandisolationisttendencies.Thisiscoupledwithasenseofimpunityand‘goingitaloneattitude’–forexampleon issues of climate change.

7. Further, there is a growing tendency of powerful countries to reduce complex and interrelated problems of the world to narrow national interests, including militarist and transactional approach to diplomacy.

8. Theimmediateconsequenceofallthesearetradewars,occasioningglobalmarketvolatilitiesaswellastheflagrantdisregardofimportantinternationaltreaties. These have serious negative impact on the United Nations and the multilateral global governance system in general.

9. There has developed a series of political, social and economic dynamics thathaveopenedmajordivisionsinthetraditionalWesternAlliance.Thisenvironment poses both threats but also opens up strategic opportunities for South africa and developing countries.

10. The rise of china, India and others as well as dynamics within the Westernpowershaveoccasionedarestructuringoftheglobalgovernancearchitecture,especiallytheBrettonWoodsInstitutions,butalsoothermultilateral forums.

11. china has entrenched its foothold in africa, increasing investment and trade



with the continent. precisely because its economic growth rates have slowed down, china has refocused its economy towards outside regions, within its neighbors in asia, across europe and on the african continent.

12. Becauseofitsubiquitousinvestments,accompaniedbythevoraciousappetitefornaturalresources,Chinaishavingsignificantinfluenceontheafrican continent. This is exercised energetically both at bilaterally and within theframeworkoftheForumforChinaAfricaCooperation(FOCAC).Inthisregard, china has a clear strategy for engagement with the continent.

13. TheexistenceofG20Forumhasalsocreatedanotherimportantmultilateralforum that is critical to the global governance architecture.

14. BecauseSouthAfricaisamemberoftheseglobalforums,thequestioniswhether the country is able to use these platforms consistently to advance national priorities, the interests of the Sadc region, the african continent and the countries of the South.

15. SincetheadoptionofAGENDA2063,therehavebeensomemodestbutencouraging achievements towards the attainment of some of the goals. But the challenges are still huge because of the inherited negative legacies.

16. Generally,Africaninstitutionscontinuetoberelativelyweakandarestilldependentonexternalfunding.Africa’sgrowthprospectsnonethelessremaingood.

17. Therehasbeenrenewedcommitmentandsomeprogressonconflictresolution and there are encouraging moves towards greater democratic governance. Yet, the agenda for wider african regeneration and renaissance remain broadly vulnerable and thus there is a need for ongoing vigilance.

18. Theperennialchallengeremainsabetterandunifiedcontinentalapproachon UN reform and for african states to intensify efforts to have permanent representationinthisimportantbodyinlinewithEzulwiniConsensus.

19. South africa supports the prolonged palestinian struggle against dispossession and the fragmentation of the State of palestine. The number of palestinians in need of humanitarian assistance increases every day. It is thereforeclearthattheconflictbetweenPalestineandIsraelfeedsintothewider regional dynamics by having a negative effect on peace, economic development,socio-politicalstabilityandsecurityintheregion.

20. Inaddition,thearmedconflictinYemen,thewarinSyriaandthegeneraldestabilizationintheMiddleEastremainsachallengetotheinternationalcommunity. South africa must always be ready to assist all efforts aimed at findinglastingsolutionstotheconflictchallengesfacedbythepeopleoftheMiddle east.

21. South africa will assume the chair of aU from 2020. This will call for thorough preparation at all levels of government to ensure that the african



RenaissancewouldbethedrivingforceforSouthAfrica’sChairship.Inparticular, the strengthening of regional economic communities (Recs), the PanAfricanParliament(PAP),PAWOandprogrammessuchasNepadandapRM should clearly be prioritised.

22. The panel noted that from the beginning of this century and millennium, Africahadlargelysucceededintakingownershipandleadershiponchallenges facing the continent in such critical areas as peace and security and through initiatives such as Nepad, apRM as well as peace and Security council. This includes the algiers and lome declarations on unconstitutional changesofelectedgovernmentsandtheAbujaTreatyandLagosPlanofaction on continental integration.

23. ThePanelfurthernotedthatoneofthecriticalbuildingblocksfortherenaissance of the african continent is the integration, strengthening and optimal functioning of regional institutions and effective implementation of its programmes.

24. For a number of years, South africa played an important role in pursuit of well-craftedprogrammesofAfricanrenaissance.SouthAfricaalsowasareliable partner in efforts towards regional integration, the role in Nepad, APRMandworkwithintheAfricanUnion.ThiswasdonethroughacloseworkingrelationshipwithotherAfricanstates.

25. The manner in which the leadership of the continent was given audience and expected to provide leadership on interventions on the continent, in internationalforasuchastheG8andotherplatformswaseloquenttestimonyto this. This went beyond form and diplomatic protocol but there was, albeit at times grudgingly, respect for the intellectual and coherent logic of the content of these representations, grounded as they were, on carefully crafted and mandated continental positions.

26. There is a need to reconnect with the african Renaissance orientation, what itsobjectivesandgoalsareandhowtoachievethem.ThereisalsoaneedtoarticulateandpropagatePan-Africanism;howPan-AfricanisminformsSouthafrican foreign policy and how South africa can advance this in global forums such as the UN.

27. In the past, as part of ensuring that the african diaspora is fully integrated into the aU and general continental programmes, the aU made the african diaspora the 6th region of the organisation. South africa was given the responsibility of regular contact and engagement with the region.

28. TheresultwasaseriesofmeetingsinJamaica,theUSAandinSouthAfricawhererepresentativesofgovernments,NGO’s,academicsandothersformulated programmes of engagements between the african continent and the african diaspora.

29. South africa believes in the reform of the UN and other multilateral global governance system so that these are democratic, inclusive and fully



representsthenationsoftheworld,bigandsmall.Forthepasttwo-and-halfdecades,SouthAfrica,workingwithothercountriesoftheSouth,continuedefforts at ensuring that the entire global governance system is transformed.

30. ThereformoftheglobalgovernancesystemincludestheWorldBankand the International Monetary Fund (IMF), so that they can play a more developmental role.

31. South africa has also played an important role on the promotion of the rights ofwomenasexemplifiedbytherolesplayedbyanumberofSouthAfricansintheUNandothermultilateralbodies.ThisincludesrolesintheCSW,BeijingConference,CEDAW,UNWomenandinUNPeaceMissions.Thechallengeistoensureconsistentandreliablesupportforallthoseworkinginglobal structures.

32. ThePaneldiscussedandreflectedontheroleofSouthAfrica’spreviousworkintheUNSCandlessonsthatshouldinformthecurrentparticipationinthis important body. South africa was a member of UNSc on two previous occasions–thefirstwasthe2007and2008andthenalso2011and2012periods.

33. Undoubtedly,themajorcontroversyofSouthAfrica’ssecondtermontheUNSc was its vote in March 2011 for Resolution 1973 which was abused by the p3 and its allies by attaching to the Resolution, the phrase: “by all meansnecessary,”tojustifylaunchingmilitaryactionagainstLibya.Thiswasto effect regime change which included the brutal assassination of colonel MuammarQaddafi.

34. at the same time, however, South africa played an important role in its previousterms,especiallybychampioningalandmarkSecurityCouncildecision on strengthening the strategic cooperation between the UNSc and the african Union peace and Security council (aUpSc) in Resolution 2033 of 2012.

35. On8June2018,SouthAfricawaselectedtoserveontheUNSecurityCouncilforatwoyearperiod–2019to2020–havingreceived183votesfrom UN Member states.

36. ThePanelreflectedextensivelyonlessonslearntduringtheprevious2termsandwhatneedstobedonenowtostrengthenSouthAfrica’seffectivenessduring the current tenure.

37. SouthAfricahastraditionallyendeavouredtoforgestronglinkswiththecountries of the South. This remains relevant. at the same time, the approach should ensure that South africa responds appropriately to each region or countrywithoutadoptinga‘onesizefitsall’,approach.

38. There is also a lot of international relations engagements by different departments and spheres of government.

39. South africa is endowed with many research and academic units that are



involvedinalotofwork,particularlyonthecontinent.Theseareimportantresources that dIRco should positively harness. engagements with these institutions is critical. This has the advantage of ensuring that those outside DIRCOaresensitizedtotherealchallengesofthepracticeofDiplomacyas opposed to sometimes idealistic theoretical constructs that may not be grounded in reality.

40. South african diplomats are the main representatives of the country abroad. Whiletheymaynotallbeintimatelyengagedinartsandculturetheyarebetter placed to facilitate the promotion of spreading the message of what the country stands for, who we are, where we come from and the challenges aswemoveforward.CulturalworkersaresomeofthebestconveyersforsuchmessagesandDIRCOmustfullyintegratethisworkinalldiplomaticactivities.

41. EconomicDiplomacycanbedefinedasanation’spromotionofitseconomicfortunes, interests and needs in the global environment.

42. Itishowdiplomatsandotherstates’representativesnegotiatefortheircountries interests in international relations. This is done with the aim of increasing trade, attracting investments and helping to grow and develop national economies.

43. This is also done in a manner that translates domestic economic policy into its international relations.

44. InassessinghowSouthAfrica’speersconducttheirworkineconomicdiplomacy, it became clear that the country is not using its economic potential and its inherent natural resources optimally.

45. consultations with foreign representatives in South africa, revealed that there areanumberofkeypillarsandinitiativesthatcouldbeleveragedtomakesure that South africa can better use its resources.

Documents

l i c y r e v iew p o n g i e r o o r · of International Relations, Hon Ms lindiwe Sisulu, Mp, who outlined to the panel her broad expectations. It should be stated at the outset